Agriculture. ROSE CULTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1642, 13 January 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

Agriculture. ROSE CULTURE.

The rose, the queen of flowers, a« it has been aptly and prettily called, is a flower which, in any of the temperate climates of Australia, can, with proper care and treatment, be produced nearly all the year round ; nor is there any flower which deserves more attention at the hands of all classes of growers than this, for it possesses, even amongst the very commonest kinds, a beauty of form and a delicacy of fragrance which will not be found in any other flower of the garden or of the field. The poetic expression, "A cottage embowered in roses," is one which has become synonymous with all that is beautiful to the eye and grateful, to the smell, in country life; nor need this be looked upon as a poetic expression, for many kinds of roses may easily be so trained as to cover a latticed porch, the front of a verandah, or even an entire house with a thick mass of delicate green foliage, and, in the season, with a wealth of lovely bloom. Truth to tell, the rose is perhapß more extensively cultivated than any other flower, for rarely can a garden be found, whether belonging to the small cottage of the poorest labourer, cultivated aB a labour of love, after his day's toil is over, or to the lordly mansion of the wealthy and great, cared for by scientific horticulturists at vast expense, in which it does not have a prominent place. In Scripture the rose is used as a synonym for all that is beautiful and pleasant, " The Wilderness shall blossom as the rose," " The rose of Sharon," and numerous other references to be found in Holy Writ fully attest this, and it is well known that in eastern poetry, so fertile in imagery, this flower is continually spoken of in terms of the highest admiration as typical of loveliness and' grace. The original home of the rose was in the east, probably Persia, but being a hardy plant, and one which grows equally well in all grades of the temperate climate, it soon spread abroad into all lands, and its glory to the ends of the world. The celebrated Wars of the Eoses in England gave it an importance apart from its value as a flower, and it is still the cognizance of that portion of Great Britain. The following few remarks, which are not intended so much for the professional or amateur rose-grower, who would be likely to consult more ponderous and elaborate works on the subject, of which there are plenty to be had, as for the farmer or cottager, and the dweller in large towns who may be desirous of spending a little of his spare time in the cultivation of a few rose-trees, and so beautifying his dwelling, and in making them it will be attempted to make the directions as brief and at the same time intelligible, and in as popular language as possible. In laying out a rose garden, the first consideration must be to obtain an easterly aspect, so as to catch the early and revivifying raya of the sun, so important in the winter and spring. But wherever the roses may be planted they must either have a natural or an artificial shelter. If of the former, and if of a live fence, it must be at a distance of at least twenty feet from the plants; if of the latter a paling fence will answer all requirements, and may be placed much nearer. In either case free air must be allowed. The rose grows best in a rich loam, with a subsoil of yellow clay. In preparing the soil, trench to a depth of two feet by three feet wide, when if yellow clay be reached, the open drain will be sufficient. Round the beds up, »nd paths six inches deep sunk. If yellow clay be not reached, lay under drains two or even three feet deep. If the soil be sandy, yellow clay must be laid at the bottom to a depth of at least six inches. Trench all the ground in the same wav, using the soil out of one trench to fill in the next, and so on. Should the top soil be stiff, mix thoroughly with drift sand or road scrapings. Fill in loosely so as to allow the rain to penetrate. This preparation of the bed ought to be completed about October, and the land left fallow during the summer, but being broken up two or three times to admit the sun. In March spread coarse bones and stable-dung, and in April dig well over, and again in May, to prepare for planting. If the plants be required for exhibition purposes they must be budded plants two years old, and must be planted at least four feet square. If they be wanted for bedding, the plantation may be two feet square. Plant in May, at a depth of four inches, placing a little leaf mould on the surface, but no manure near the plants. Tread the soil down lightly so as not to injure the bark,' and leave them unpruned until June. On the vexed question of budding roses on their own roots or working them on stocks, much may be said, and has been said on both sides. Mr. T. Johnson of the Eosg Nursery, Hawthorn, a high authority og the subject, and to whom this article is largely indebted for valuable information, says : " A great deal has been written and said with respect to plants on their own roots ; nevertheless I am positive from my own experience, that no plant will produce bloom upon its own roots equal to those upon a worked plant. I am aware that there are many who object to budded plants because they send up so many suckers, the clearing off gives a little trouble, forgetting, at the same time, that when the hour for exhibition arrives they will be amply rewarded for all the pains they have taken by being able, if properly attended to, to furnish their stand with blooms possessing all the necessary qualities of a good rose, namely, size, form, substance of petal, colour, and perfume." Mr. William Hepburn, one of the highest i authorities in Australia on rose cultures, and who has taken numerous prizes in the floricultural shows in Victoria for the beauty and variety of his roses, grown principally at | his residence at Hawthorn near Melbourne, speaking on this branch of the subject, says : j — " Some writers affirm that roses are better worked on their own roots, while others prefer that they should be worked on other stocks. This may be called a mixed question, as it seems that some roses come to perfection best one way, some the other. A great authority on this subject in England, the Rev. Reynolds Hole, formerly advocated budding all roses on the briar or English Dog Rose, but that gentleman has entirely altered his opinion, and goes in now strongly for the principle of growing them on their own roots. My expe-' rience teaches me that taking them as a whole, it is better to grow them on their own roots- For those, however, who prefer to work them on foreign stocks, I should recommend, of all stocks, those^ of the American Noisette, because of its being a very strong grower, that is to say, one whose roots penetrate well into the clay, and of its cutting into good healthy stocks. These stocks should be cut off square at the bottom, just above the eye, and all the eyes, except the two or three at the top, picked out with the point of a knife, so as to prevent suckers. After budding, the stocks should be placed on a base of sand straight up in the holes about a foot apart. This will prevent the suckers sprouting and carrying off the top from the flower, and also dispense with the trouble of digging down to remove, the suckers which would otherwise spring beneath the surface of the ground. Another method, highly spoken of by some growers, is to bud before cutting the .Noisette into stocks. Weak growers, such as tfcje Madame Bounaire, one of the prettiest of jsosufl, but very weak, should be budded, ajbout six 90. the same stock, so as to carry off the top. Other good stocks are the Manettij and the Briar. The Banksian also makes a good .stock, and has the advantage that it can be tuced with benefit for standard roses, as it cMte its bark, an* jfcJtius, unlike some other stand*rds, never cake* jyjd prevents the sap 41 The foKepoing remarks, explanatory of the iormationof ispse beds ■ond the panting of the teees, will, it i* Jhoped, be sufficient io darry -the inexperienced >e*der far enough to lay ( the foundation of his rosery. As to future they can scarcely be explained in a concise form.., as the processes 6f 'forming ornamental plants, and ttjgftmehtjO^ i£he grown, plflrit vary-, go much PJfIHHM

circumstances, and according to the practice of different authorities, that it would be impossible, within the limits of an ordinary article, to deal, even in the most condensed form, with them in any way that could., bei rendered intelligible. Besides, as all these are matters requiring experience and a' practical acquaintance with the subject, any general theorizing might, perhaps, only tend to mislead, and, it is, therefore, thought that, with regard to these, the higher branches of rose culture, as they may be termed, a few practical lessons taken from any nurseryman or gardener, would be infinitely preferable to any printed instructions. Those, however, to whom such lessons are inavailable, and who wish to pursue the subject further and in detail, would, perhaps, do well to peruse one or other of the numerous works on the subject published from time to time. Amongst these may be named the book by the Rev. Reynolds Hole already referred to, and a very useful and handy little work published in Melbourne by Mr. T. Johnson, of Hawthorn, and called the Culture of the Rose. In conclusion it may be said that Mr. Vf. Hepburn has kindly furnished the following lists of roses adapted for amateur growers, premising than any or all of the sets may be used, and will form a choice and varied selection with regard to size, form and colour. Beauty of Waltham, Duke of Edinburgh (imported), La France, Madam Vidot, Prince Canulle de Rohan, Souvenir de La Malmaison, Chas. Lefebre, Grace Archer, Lord Macauley, Marie Banman, Gloire de Dijon, Marschal Niel. Cloth of Gold— BelleLyonnaise,Lord Raglan, Catherine Guillot, Souvenir de Comte Cayour, Blunberg Devoniensis, Climbing Victor Vedier, Souvenir d'Anami, Xavier Olibo, Cheshunt Hybird. Boule de Mege— Leopold Hansberg, Ceutifolia Rosea, Chap. Turner, Mademoiselle Bonmaire, Madam Therese Levet, Canulle Bernardin, Maurice Bernardin, Captain Christie, Comte-de-de Oxford, Emperor de MarocPaul Neron. Eugene Appert, Ferdinand deLesseps, John Hooper, Mdlle. Marguerite, Dombrain, Marechal,Valliant, 1 Pierre, Notting, Horace Vernet, Louis Van Hontle, Louisa Wood, Mr. Charles Crapiet, Madam Victor Verdier, Madam Chas. Wood, Madam Maurice, Madam Trifle, Marquis de Castellaine, Thorizu, Celine, Forestier, Jules, Margottin,| Senateur (Vaise, Comlepe, Cecil de Chalrillant.